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SCHOELL & MADSON, INC. <br />Mr. Mike Gaffron May 21,1997 <br />2. Habitat Impact Assessment <br />a. Covertypes were defined again, this time using 1994 aerial photographs and by walking <br />through each plant community type. The covertypes w'ere first divided into broad categories <br />found in the EAW. The categories were wetlands, urbaiVsuburban lawn, wooded/forest, <br />brush/grassland, impervious surface, and other (defined as golf course area post construction). <br />The covertypes focused on for further definition were wooded/forest and brush/grassland <br />(wetlands were extensively defined in the wetland delineation report included in the EAW and <br />urban/suburban lawn consists of the bluegrass areas around the conference center). Lists of <br />plants, noting dominant species were made for each covertype. <br />^^ooded/Forest <br />The wooded/forest covertype covers approximately 90 acres of the property. Forty three <br />of the 90 acres are considered Big Woods and have been addressed in detail under section 1. Of <br />the remaining 47 acres, approximately 13.5 acres are comprised of planted red pine, white pine <br />and spruce stands. Three of the planted coniferous stands are approximately 4 acres in size, <br />others are less than 1 acre. One contiguous 13.5 acre stand of deciduous trees is located in the <br />central portion of the property located south of County Road 6. The stand is comprised of bur <br />oaks, basswood, red pine and sugar maples The remaining 20 wooded acres are comprised of <br />small stands containing primarily boxelder and buckthorn. The largest of the remaining parcels <br />is approximately 4.5 acres, others are less than one acre in size. <br />Wildlife observed on-site in the wooded areas are: wxen. nuthatch, chickadee, owl. <br />crows, cowbird, woodchuck, garter snake and white-tailed deer. <br />Brush/Grassland <br />The combined categories of Brush and Grassland comprise approximatt ly 71.8 acres. <br />Grasslap.'i consists of open areas vegetated with grasses and forbs. Bnishland is vegetated w ith a <br />high pe* eenw :e of shrubs and young trees under 20 feet in height. Grassland accounts for <br />approx*: '. :ly 51 acres of this category, w hile brushland comprises the remaining 20.8 acres. <br />The laigest areas of grassland are found in the portion of the property located south of <br />County Road 6. They are dominated by non-native grasses, primarily smooth brome and <br />Kentucky bluegrass. Forbs found in these areas are mustard, mullein and goldcnrod. These <br />areas also include patches of invading shrubs and saplings such as red cedar, sumac, boxelder or <br />remnant domestic plantings such as apple trees or the rows of ash and boxelder. In general, this <br />tends to be the least diverse community type on the site due to the high percentage of smooth <br />brome grass, which limits diversity of plants species for food, cover and nesting sites.